Sepals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of leaf structure that encases and protects the developing flower bud before it blooms
2. These are typically green and serve as the outermost whorl of floral organs surrounding the petals
3. A botanical component that forms a protective layer around a flower bud, ensuring its safety and development during the early stages of blooming

Etymology: "Sepals" is the plural of "sepal", the leaf-like parts that enclose a flower bud and typically spread out beneath the petals once it opens. The singular entered English from French "sépale", which was itself formed from New Latin "sepalum", a term coined by botanists rather than inherited from classical Latin. Ancient Greek and Roman writers had no word for this part of a flower, so the name is a modern scientific invention built to describe a specific anatomical feature.

Synonyms: bracts, flower parts, leaf-like structures, protective leaves, calyx